Method and apparatus for making pile fabric



N0`V- 30, 195.4l P. MILLER ETAL 2,695,634

vMTHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PILE FABRIC Filed Feb. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l IllIl 8 (lttorneg Nov. 30, 1954 P. MILLER ETAL 2,695,634

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PILE FABRIC Eledv Feb. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gttomeg Nov. 30, 1954 P. MILLER ETAL 2,695,634

METHOD AND ,APPARATUS FOR MAKING PILE FABRIC Filed Feb. 18, 195o 3 sheets-sheet 3 ,01 will l United States Patent Office 2,695,634 Patented Nov. 310, 1954 METHOD AND APPARATUS FR MAKING PILE FABRIC Philip Miller and Robert F. Bardsley, Yonkers, N. Y.,

assignors to Alexander Smith, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application February 18, 1950, Serial No. 144,882

17 Claims. (Cl. 139-39) This invention relates to woven pile fabrics of the Wilton or velvet types in which the pile is formed by the use of pile wires inserted in the warp shed during the weaving operation and has for an object to provide a pile fabric of the above type having novel and improved characteristics.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved pile wire for imparting selected pattern characteristics to the woven fabric and which can be utilized on standard looms.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved method of weaving. p

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In Wilton and velvet looms, pile wires are normally inserted in the warp shed between the warp used in forming the body or backing of the fabric and the pile warp, and are bound in place temporarily by loops of the pile warp as the fabric is woven. Each wire remains in place until a plurality of wires have been inserted, whereupon the leading wire is withdrawn longitudinally from the fabric, If the wire is provided on its trailing end with a knife edge, the loops are cut as the wire is withdrawn, forming a cut pile fabric. lf the wire has no knife edge uncut pile loops remain when the wire is withdrawn. In other cases the wire may be formed with a shoulder to enlarge the loops as the wire is withdrawn.

ln fabrics so produced all of the pile in any one transverse row must be similar which is a limitation on the design of the fabric. t

The present invention overcomes this design limitation and provides mechanism for cutting or enlarging a selected portion only of any row of pile loops as the pile wire is withdrawn. The invention also provides for forming cut or uncut pile of different heights in different selected portions of a row. Various combinations of the 'p above effects can also be obtained.

More specifically the invention utilizes pile wires having spring mounted members at their trailing ends cooperating with a cam surface disposed above the pile A loops to cause the members to be selectively raised or depressed as desired. The wires are arranged to produce different effects depending upon whether the wires are elevated or depressed. In one embodiment the wires produce high and low uncut pile loops as they are raised or depressed. 1n other embodiments cut and uncut pile Fig. 4 is a similar detail view showing the spring member ihn raised position;

Flg. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, but on a larger scale;

Q Flg. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l, but show- 1ng a fabric having cut and uncut pile of the same height;

Flg. 7 is a perspective view of the fabric of Fig. 6 showing the cam roller and wires in place;

Flg 8 is a detail view of the trailing end of a pile w1re adapted to produce the fabric of Figs. 6 and 7 showmg the spring member depressed;

Fig. 9 is a similar detail View showing the spring member raised;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 10--10 of Fig. 9, but on a larger scale;

Fig. 11 is a section similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a fabric having high uncut pile loops and low loops and cut pile;

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the trailing end of a pile wire for forming the fabric of Fig. 11 showing the spring member depressed;

Fig. 13 is a similar detail view showing the spring member raised;

Fig. 14 is a section similar to Fig. l showing a fabric having high cut pile tufts and low uncut pile loops;

Fig. l5 is a detail view of the trailing end of a pile wire for forming the fabric of Fig. 14, showing the spring member depressed; and

Fig. 16 is a similar detail View showing the spring member raised.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the backing which may be of any standard type is shown in Fig. 1 for convenience as of the two shot velvet type cornprising upper and lower filler yarns 10 and 11 with a stuer yarn 12 therebetween and with pile yarns 15, all bound by a pair of chain yarns 14. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is also applicable to fabrics of the Wilton type in which a plurality of pile yarns are provided which are individually selected by jacquard mechanism in accordance with the desired pattern. The backing may include various numbers of liller yarns and various numbers of stuifer yarns. A selected type has been shown for purposes of illustration only.

ln the embodiment of Figs. l to 5 the fabric is assumed to move from right to left on the loom and a\ plurality of low pile loops 20 have been formed by the insertion i of pile wires 21 and 22. The loops 20 and wires 21 and are formed which may be of the same or of different I heights. ln any case the portions of each row of pile tufts which are selected for the different effects is de pendent upon the contour of the cam. Means are also provided for rotating or reciprocating the cam to produce other effects.

The nature of the invention and. its mode of application will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certain specific embodiments have been set forth for purposes of illustration.

in the drawings:

Fig. l is an enlarged section through a portion of a pile fabric and cam roller on the loom, showing a fabric having high and low, uncut pile loops;

22 are bound to the backing by the chain, stuifer, and filler yarns as above described.

The wires 21 are standard loom wires which are adapted, when withdrawn, to leave uncut pile loops 23.

The wires 22 are of the type shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and are split at their trailing ends to provide upper and lower arms 25 and 26 respectively. The lower surface of the arm 26 is a continuation of the lower surface of the body of the wire 22 to provide support for the wire. The trailing end of the arm 26 carries a flange 27 having an upper surface 28 in the plane of the upper surface 29 of the wire body.

The arm 2S is flexible and has an upper surface 30 forming a continuation of the upper surface 29 of the wire body and terminating in a shoulder 32 on an upstanding flange 31. The shoulder 32 is inclined to enlarge the pile loops as the wires are withdrawn therethrough when the arm 2S is in its raised position as shown in Fig. 4. The flange 31 when depressed, as shown in Fig. 3, is equal in height to the ange 27 and pulls through Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the cam roller and woven fabric showing the pile wires in place;

Fig. 3 is a detail View of the trailing end of a pile wire embodying the invention with its spring member retracted by the cam surface;

the pileloops without enlarging the same.

Forv controlling the position of the flange 31 a cam member 3S is provided having depressed cam portion 36 to receive the flange 31 without depressing the same, and

\ having raised portions 37 which engage and depress the flange 31 as shown in Fig. 3. The portions 36 and 37 are joined by inclined surfaces 38 over which the ange 31 rides as the wire is withdrawn. The cam member 35 is shown as a roller, but may take other forms such as a flat late. p The roller 35 is shown in Fig. 2 as mounted to rotate above the pile loops at a point above the wire which is to be withdrawn from the fabric. Means, shown as a motor 40, connected to the roller 35 by gears 41 and shaft 42, are provided to rotate the roller 35 at a selected speed according to the pattern. The roller may of course be driven from a convenient loom shaft if desired.

In this embodiment the wires 22 are inserted alternately with standard Wires 21. As each standard wire 21 is withdrawn a row of low pile loops 23 is formed. Aseach wire 22 is withdrawn, if the flange 31 engages a raised portion 37 of the cam roller 35 and is depressed as in Fig. 3, a low pile loop 23 is formed. However, when the flange 31 enters arecess in the cam roller 35 as shown in Fig. 4 and is brought to elevated position, the loops, riding over the shoulder 32, become enlarged, pulling the necessary yarn length from the preceding loop 23, thus forming high loops 45, each preceded by a link 46 spanning the space previously occupied by a loop 23.

The fabric thus formed has areas 47 of the usual low pile loops and areas 48 of high pile loops spaced by two filler shots 10. The location of the various areas is determined by the rotation of the cam roller 35 which is synchronized by suitable means with the feed of the woven fabric to produce the desired repeated pattern. The roller may be oscillated or reciprocated as shown in Fig. 7 instead of or in addition to its rotation, or may have an irregular motion` imparted thereto by a cam or the like.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 10 a wire is shown which is capable of producing cut or uncut pile selectively. This wire comprises a body 52 having a thin trailing end portion 53 carrying a spring arm 54 having at its end a flange 55 carrying a knife blade 56. The knife blade 56 is urged upwardly by the spring arm 54 to the position shown in Fig. 9 wherein the knife blade cuts the pile loops as the wire is withdrawn therethrough. A rounded cam surface 57 on the flange 55 extends above the knife blade to engage the lower surface of the cam roller 35 and is adapted to hold the knife blade out of cutting position as in Fig. 8 when the cam surface 57 engages the raised portions of the cam roller 35.

In this embodiment uncut loops 60 (Fig. 6) are formed at points corresponding to the raised cam roller surfaces 37 and cut pile tufts 61 are formed at points corresponding to depressed cam roller surfaces 36.

In Fig. 7 the cam roller 3S is mounted on a splined shaft 63 which is adapted to be oscillated by an arm 64 actuated by a link 65 driven by a crank arm 66 on the shaft 67 of a motor 68.

The roller 3S is also reciprocable axially on the splined shaft 63 by means of a grooved disc 70 mounted on a shaft 71 fixed to the end of the roller 35 and engaged bv a forked arm 72 pivoted at 73 and reciprocated by a link 74 driven from a crank pin 75 carried by the shaft 76 of a motor 77. Obviously either the reciprocating motion or the oscillating motion may be used independently or the roller may be rotated as in Fig. 2. In any case the drive is synchronized with the fabric feed to produce the desired pattern. v

The fabric backing of Figs. 6 and 7 is similar to that of Figs. l and 2. The fabric is characterized by areas 79 of uncut pile loops and areas 78 of cut pile tufts. The tufts are slightly higher than the uncut loops due to the straightening of the yarn after cutting, as shown in Fig. 6. The warpwise edges of the areas 78 and 79 would be wavy when the motor 77 is operating.

Fig. l1 shows a fabric of the type shown in Fig. 1, but with high uncut pile loops 80. low uncut pile loops 81 and low cut pile tufts 82. The wire for forming this fabric is shown in Figs. l2 and 13 as comprising a body 83 terminating at its trailing end in two arms 84 and 85. The arm 85 has a lower surface which is a continuation of the lower surface of the bodv and terminates in a flange 86 carrying a knife blade S7 positioned to cut the pile loops when exposed thereto. The arm 84, in its raised position (Fig. 13) has an upper surface forming a continuation of the upper surface of the body 83 and terminating in an opstanding flange 88 having, a forward inclined surface 90 shaped to enlarge the pile loops anda top round surface 91 to engage the surface of the cam roller 35.

In weaving the wire 83 above described is alternated with standard wires 93. As a standard wire 93 is withdrawn an uncut row of low pile loops 81 is formed. As the next wire 83 is withdrawn either high uncut pile loops or low cut pile tufts are formed, depending upon the con,- tour of the cam roller 35. When the surface 91 of the flange 3S is opposite a depressed area 36 of the cam roller 35 as in Fig. 13 the loops are enlarged by passing over the surface which prevents them from coming in contact with the knife blade 87, thereby pulling out pgrceding loop left by a standard Wire 93 to leave a 1n When the surface 91 engages and is depressed by a raised surface 37 of the cam roller as in Fig. 12 the knife blade 87 is exposed to the pile loops and cuts the same to form the low cut pile tufts 82. A row of low uncut pile loops is formed adjacent each row of low cut pile tufts by the corresponding standard wires 93.

The embodiment of Fig. 14 illustrates a fabric having a backing similar to that of Fig. l and having a combination of high cut pile tufts and low uncut pile loops 101. The wire for forming this: fabric is shown in Figs. l5 and 16 as comprising a body 102 terminating at its trailing end in a thin flange 103 having a lower surface forming a continuation of the lower surface of the body and carrying a spring arm 104 terminating in a raised shoulder 105 shaped to enlarge the pile loops and a knife blade 106 positioned to cut the enlarged loops. A cam surface 107 engages the cam roller 35 to raise or lower the spring arm as in the previously described cmbodiments.

In Weaving the spring Wires 102 are alternated with standard wires 108. As each standard wire 108 is withdrawn it leaves a row of low uncut pile loops 101. As the spring wire 102 is withdrawn it leaves a low uncut loop or a high cut pile tuft depending upon the contour of the cam roller 35. For example, when the spring arm is raised the shoulder 105 enlarges the loop, thereby pulling out the loop previously formed by a standard wire 108, and the knife blade 106 cuts the enlarged loop. When the spring arm is depressed as in Fig. 15, the knife blade is held below the path of the loops and the wire operates as a standard Wire to leave low uncut loops.

It is obvious that various combinations may be made of the above described wires to produce different design effects and that a few specific embodiments have been shown for purposes of illustration only. The invention is applicable to various uses as Will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. In a loom having means to form rows of pile loops over pile wires, a pile wire to be bound in said loops comprising a body portion over which said loops are to be formed carrying at its trailing end a spring arm normally flexed upwardly and having an upstanding flange above the level of said body portion, said flange being positioned to modify the condition of said pile loops when pulled through said loops in raised position and being adapted to pass through the pile loops without modification thereof when pulled in depressed position, and a cam member disposed above the row of loops from which said wire is to be pulled, said cam member having areas to depress said llange as the flange passes thereunder.

2. A loom, as set forth in claim l, in which said cam member comprises a roller extending along and above said row of loops and means driving said roller.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2, in which said driving means causes rotation of said roller.

4. The invention set forth in claim 2, in which said driving means causes axial reciprocation of said roller.

5. The invention set forth in claim 2, in which said driving means causes oscillation of said roller.

6. A loom Wire for forming pile loops in Wilton or velvet looms having a pattern cam, comprising a body portion having a surface over which pile loops are formed and carrying at its trailing end a spring arm normally flexed upwardly and having a surface extending above said body portion to modify the condition of said pile loops as the wire is drawn therethrough, said spring arm having at its trailing end a surface to engage and be depressed by said pattern cam and being of a height to pass through said loops without modification. when said spring arm is `depressed by said cam.

7. A loom wire, as set forth in claim 6, in which said arm carries a knife blade positioned to cut said pile loops when in raised position.

8. A loom Wire, as set forth in claim 6, in which said trm includes a shoulder adapted to enlarge said pile oops.

9. A loom wire, as set forth in claim 6, in which said arm includes a shoulder to enlarge said pile loops and a knife blade positioned to cut said enlarged loops.

10. In a loom wire, as set forth in claim 6, a second arm at said trailing end carrying a knife blade positioned to cut the pile loops when exposed thereto, said spring arm being retractible to expose said knife blade when depressed.

11. The method of making a pile fabric having pile loops formed over pile wires inserted into the warp shed, which comprises enlarging a portion only of the loops on a wire and cutting the remaining portion of the loops on said wire as the wire is withdrawn to form high uncut pile`loops and low cut pile tufts.

12. The method of making a pile fabric having pile loops formed over pile Wires inserted into the warp shed, which comprises enlarging a portion only of the loops on a wire and cutting another portion of the loops on said Wire as the wire is Withdrawn to form high uncut pile loops and low cut pile tufts.

13. The method of making a pile fabric which comprises forming a series of pile loops of uniform height over a single pile wire inserted in a warp shed and altering the condition of a selected portion only of the loops on said wire as the wire is withdrawn from the fabric.

14. The method of making a pile fabric which comprises forming a series of pile loops of uniform height over a pile wire inserted in a warp shed and enlarging a selected portion only of the loops on said wire while leaving the remaining portion of said loops low as the wire is withdrawn from the fabric, so as to form a comblilntion of high and low pile loops of the same warp s e 15. The method of making a pile fabric which comprises forming a series of pile loops of uniform height over a pile wire inserted in a warp shed and enlarging a selected portion only of the loops on said Wire while leaving the remaining loops on said wire low and cutting said remaining loops as the Wire is withdrawn from the 3 fabric, so as to form a combination of high uncut pile loops and low cut pile tufts of the same Warp shed.

16. The method of making a pile fabric which comprises forming a series of pile loops of uniform height over a pile wire inserted in a warp shed and enlarging and cutting a selected portion only of the loops on said wire and leaving the remaining loops on said wire low as the wire is withdrawn from the fabric, so as to form a combination of high cut pile tufts and low uncut pile loops of the same warp shed.

17. The method of making a pile fabric which comprises forming a series of pile loops of uniform height l over a single pile Wire having a knife at its trailing end inserted in the warp shed and causing said knife to cut a selected portion only of the loops on said wire as the wire is Withdrawn from the fabric so as to form a combination of cut pile tufts and uncut pile loops of the l same warp shed.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,821 Crossley et al Nov. 17, 1885 489,731 Coley Jan. 10, 1893 529,858 Hardwick Nov. 27, 1894 709,447 McCollum Sept. 16, 1902 760,985 Hardwick May 24, 1904 763,181 Hardwick June 2l, 1904 1,602,250 Pickard et al. Oct. 5, 1926 1,714,104 Pearsall May 21, 1929 2,477,249 Harding July 26, 1949 2,516,465 Jackson July 25, 1950 2,532,903 Groat Dec. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5 124.848 France June 14, 1878 242,138 Germany Dec. 23, 1911 273,409 Great Britain July 6, 1927 

